Fringe festival adds flair to steel town

A new arts festival in Whyalla will add colour to the South Australian steel town that has hit hard times, the state government says.

Fringe in Whyalla, a regional offshoot of Adelaide's Fringe Festival, is expected to draw arts lovers to the city on the 2017 Easter weekend.

The state government has provided $40,000 to help make it happen and Tourism Minister Leon Bignell says the event will sustain jobs and boost tourism in the region, which is home of the troubled steelmaker Arrium.